Heart of Wales and England

from

£

1585

Enjoy a Wales coach tour through the heart of Britain taking in iconic landmarks of central England and lesser-known but equally enchanting gems of Wales. From the city of London, the Roman Baths, Stonehenge and Oxford we’ll journey to the opulent Cardiff Castle, through the wilderness Brecon Beacons and to the medieval fortresses and majestic mountains of North Wales and the spectacular Snowdonia National Park.

Get in touch

Spend this morning making your way to London, the English Capital. By afternoon check-in to your central London hotel; your journey begins at 2pm when you meet your tour director for a brief panoramic tour of the city before you're taken to the magnificent St Paul's Cathedral where you enjoy a tour of the opulent interiors and gain an insight in the history of this iconic landmark designed by Christopher Wren. Later you return to the hotel and at 6pm meet with your tour director and fellow travellers to enjoy a complimentary welcome drink.

Overnight: Hilton London Paddington Hotel, London

Meals: Breakfast included

Day 2 London at Leisure

Today you enjoy a free day to explore the sights and sounds of London at your own leisure and pace. Use your complimentary tickets to enjoy the open-top hop-on-hop-off busses which will take you to all corners of the English Capital. On board you'll gain views of a wealth famous landmarks including Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, the towering Nelson's Column and the magnificent Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Your ticket also includes an optional walking tour and Thames River Cruise. Round off your day with a visit to one of two of London's most iconic historic attractions at either Kensington Palace or the Tower of London. Your evening is free to dine independently in one of the city's many restaurants.

Overnight: Hilton London Paddington Hotel, London

Meals: Breakfast included

Day 3 Stonehenge, Bath and Cardiff Castle Banquet

Departing London we head out on to the Salisbury Plain to England's most recognised site at the standing monoliths of Stonehenge; we'll learn about their history and speculate on their mysterious purpose in the new visitor centre before viewing the eerie standing stones themselves. Then we continue West to the charming Regency city of Bath where we'll visit the Roman Baths and Pump Room, hot mineral-rich springs that have been popular since Roman times. Crossing the border in to Wales we make our way to the Welsh capital of Cardiff. After checking in to our central hotel we visit Cardiff Castle where we view the Norman period tower, tour the opulent Victorian manor and then enjoy a traditional Welsh banquet within the castle grounds.

Overnight: Clayton Cardiff Hotel, Cardiff

Meals: Breakfast and dinner (Welsh banquet) included

Day 4 Landscapes of Wales and Snowdonia Mountain Train Ride

This morning we enjoy a panoramic drive around Cardiff, Wales' proud capital, to view the principal features such as Cathays Park, the Castle exterior and Cardiff Bay. We then pass north in to the heart of Wales and through the barren peaks and sweeping moorlands of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Reaching the Northern territories we'll take a narrow-gauge train ride through the heart of Snowdonia to admire spectacular panoramic mountain scenery. We continue to nearby Caernarfon for our overnight stay.

Overnight: Celtic Royal Hotel, Caernarfon

Meals: Breakfast and dinner included

Day 5 Castles of North Wales and Snowdonia

Exploring the glorious North Wales countryside, we make our way to Llanberis to visit to the National Slate Museum, where we learn about the region's former slate industry. We'll pause at a strategic point for panoramic vistas and an opportunity for photos of Mount Snowdon, the highest peak in England and Wales. Travelling along the scenic Conwy valley we'll stop in the historic town of Conwy to view its dominating castle, the remaining medieval town walls, narrow cobbled streets and the smallest house in Britain. We then return to Caernarfon where we'll tour the stunning fortress and massive walls and battlements at the 13th century Caernarfon Castle, site of the 1969 investiture of Prince Charles the Prince of Wales.

Overnight: Celtic Royal Hotel, Caernarfon

Meals: Breakfast and dinner included

Day 6 Llangollen and Stratford-upon-Avon

Today we'll pass in to the border marches of North Wales and make our way to the traditional Welsh town of Llangollen to explore the key sites. Then over the border back in to England we'll visit picturesque town of Bridgnorth once described as "The finest view in all my Kingdom" by King Charles I. We then continue in to the heart of England and to Stratford-upon-Avon for a panoramic tour of this charming medieval town before we visit Shakespeare's Birthplace to see an intriguing exhibition about his life and works. By evening we check-in to our centrally located hotel.

Overnight: Mercure Shakespeare Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon

Meals: Breakfast and dinner included

Day 7 The Cotswolds, Oxford and Windsor Castle

This morning we'll enjoy a scenic drive through the patchwork countryside of the Cotswolds and stop in the village of Broadway, an historic village of thatch houses and honey-coloured cottages, typical of the settlements of the region. Arriving in Oxford we'll enjoy a walking tour through the historic streets to learn about the famous ivy clad colleges and lawned quads. By afternoon we arrive in Windsor where we visit the magnificent Windsor Castle, one of The Queen's official residences and the largest inhabited fortress in Europe. By evening, take a brief stroll around the town with a local guide.

Overnight: Macdonald Windsor Hotel, Windsor

Meals: Breakfast included

Day 8 Tour Ends in Windsor

Your tour ends this morning in Windsor after taking a leisurely breakfast at your hotel. You may choose to travel the short distance back to London Heathrow Airport (complimentary transfers available, conditions apply) for a return flight to your home nation. Alternatively you can continue to explore historic Windsor independently or make your way back in to central London for onward travel within Britain.

*Journey times and distances are estimates and are based on the direct route between the start location and end location for each day of the itinerary, where applicable. They do not include detours or stops for sightseeing.

All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person

Expert local advice during the planning of your trip

Postage of your travel documents pack

Tour feature

This tour includes a complete sightseeing programme - there are no unexpected costs for extra excursions during your tour!

Transfers

Complimentary shared airport transfers (to/from London Heathrow Airport) are available on the first and final days of this tour – conditions apply. Private or rail transfers are available for other times / destinations, please ask for details.

Optional extras

Pre or post tour hotel accommodation in London/Windsor or elsewhere in the UK.

Rail travel to London prior to your tour (from any other Britain destination).